Oxford, UK: April 19, 2022: Oxford Science Enterprises, the independent investment company created to found, fund and build transformational businesses via its unique partnership with the University of Oxford, today announces the appointment of Richard Laxer to its Board of Directors, as an independent non-executive director.
Richard is a veteran of GE Capital, serving the company for 34 years before retiring in 2018 as CEO and Chairman. Richard held a number of senior executive roles at GE Capital across the US, Asia and Europe, leading global teams to develop and execute financing strategies that were critical to the success of a broad range of multi-billion-dollar world-leading businesses.
Since leaving GE Capital, Richard has used his experience and expertise to advise companies which are using cutting-edge and innovative technologies to disrupt the financial services industry. Richard has served as a senior advisor to Warburg Pincus and is currently a non-executive director to three of its portfolio companies: Vodeno Technology, Aion and Singular Bank.
...hugely successful career in the global financial services industry, where he has an exceptional record of growing and transforming a diverse portfolio of businesses, including start-ups
Chris Chambers, Chairman of the Board, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Rich to the Board of Oxford Science Enterprises.He has had a hugely successful career in the global financial services industry, where he has an exceptional record of growing and transforming a diverse portfolio of businesses, including start-ups. His financial expertise and extensive networks are a complementary addition to the Board, and I look forward to working with him to leverage his leadership and operational experience to support our portfolio of high potential technology and life science companies that are poised to make a positive change to the world.”
I am excited to support the company in its investments and to champion these new ventures into disruptive new enterprises
Richard Laxer, said:
“I am thrilled to be joining the Board of Oxford Science Enterprises. The pioneering science and technology advancing from the University of Oxford has significant potential to address some of the major global impact challenges that we face today. I am excited to support the company in its investments and to champion these new ventures into disruptive new enterprises.”
Richard has proven experience navigating complex market conditions, managing enterprise risk alongside restructuring and integrating large businesses to deliver on financial targets. His extensive expertise of financing strategies, including private equity, debt, corporate and commercial finance, will be invaluable in directing Oxford Science Enterprises’ global ambition of transforming world-leading science into a high value portfolio of world-changing businesses.
Richard joined GE Capital in 1984 after gaining a Bachelor’s degree in Business, with a minor in Economics, from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, US.
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Notes to Editors
About Oxford Science Enterprises
Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE) is an independent, billion-pound investment company, created in 2015 to found, fund and build transformational businesses via our unique partnership with the University of Oxford, the world’s #1 research university.
This partnership enables us to work with the brightest academic minds tackling the world’s toughest challenges and guarantees us unrivalled access to their scientific research. In collaboration with our global network of entrepreneurs and advisors, we go well beyond funding to we shape and nurture these complex ideas into successful businesses.
Actively focused on a core portfolio of around 40 companies spanning three high-growth, high-impact sectors – Life Sciences, Health Tech, Deep Tech – we adopt a flexible, long-term investment approach, recognising the path from ground-breaking research to global markets takes time and resilience.
To date, we have invested £0.5 billion in over 80 ambitious companies built on Oxford science, helping progress 28 from seed to Series A, and 22 to Series B and beyond, including 2 IPOs and 7 trade sales. A key player in Oxford’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, we are highly motivated to foster an environment that catalyses pioneering research and steers it to commercial success. We are committed to doing this in an inclusive and sustainable way.